Woman Accused Of Bilking The Elderly In Jamaica Lottery Scam
PITTSBURGH (KDKA/AP) - A Pittsburgh woman has been charged with being a money mule who sent $295,000 to Jamaican conspirators after bilking elderly people in several states in a lottery scam.
Audrey Huff, 72, was arraigned Wednesday on charges including conspiracy, theft by deception and participating in a corrupt organization and then was committed for a mental health evaluation.
Police say Huff received money from elderly scam victims in Arizona, California, Massachusetts, Minnesota and South Carolina. They say she wired the money in nearly 300 transfers to people in Jamaica.
Authorities say the victims were told they owed money to pay taxes on lottery winnings or to settle bank and other financial issues and were told to mail the money to Huff.
At a press conference Wednesday, state Attorney General Josh Shapiro said, "Audrey Huff was the Money Mule in this Jamaican Lottery Scam. She got the cash in the mail from elderly victims throughout the country. She knew this was a terrible scam. She broke the cash down into smaller amounts and wired it to her fellow scammers in Jamaica."
Online court records don't list an attorney for Huff, who can't be reached for comment while in custody.
Huff's bail was set at $5,000 unsecured. Her preliminary hearing is set for April 19 at 10 a.m.
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(© Copyright 2017 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. The Associated Press contributed to this report.)